ARMOUR & CO.

So why did Ebony jet?

To solve a 'Top Model' mystery, we went to the source

October 28, 2007|By Terry Armour

It was completely unexpected.

There Ebony was on last week's episode of "America's Next Top Model," about to move one step closer to possibly being America's next top model when she, well, freaked. What happened? "I just wasn't happy there," the Chicago State University student told us after last week's taped episode aired. "I came to this competition so naive and thinking it was something it wasn't. I never got used to the cameras and the microphones. I missed my privacy and I was extremely homesick."

So 20-year-old Ebony Morgan (as she's known off the runway) took herself out of the running, paving the way for Ambreal -- who was about to be sent packing -- to strut another week. And out the window went a chance at a $100,000 contract with CoverGirl and a contract with Elite Model Management, along with a cover and six-page spread in Seventeen magazine.

Even the CW show's host, Tyra Banks, was surprised. But Ebony told Armour & Co. she's cool with her decision.

"I just wanted to do what was right for me," she said. "I really didn't care about being 'America's Top Model' anymore. I felt it wouldn't be fair to the other girls that wanted it 20 times more than I did. It was an opportunity of a lifetime, it just wasn't for me; reality TV isn't for everyone."

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tarmour@tribune.com

Terry Armour is co-host of "The Stan and Terry Show" at 11 a.m. weekdays on WCKG-FM 105.9